Season Series: Fourth and final meeting of the season. The Canucks blanked the Coyotes 5-0 behind 22 saves from Cory Schneider in the initial matchup on Nov. 25, while the last two have been decided via the shootout. Ryan Kesler lifted Vancouver to a 2-1 win on Feb. 13, while Ray Whitney got one back for Phoenix by the same score on Feb. 28.

Big Story: Neither team is currently playing its best hockey, though the consequences aren't nearly the same with Vancouver still running away with the Northwest Division and a top-two seed while Phoenix is suddenly back to fighting for its playoff life. Still, the Canucks have to be somewhat concerned by the slumps Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin are in -- Henrik has gone eight games without registering a point, while Daniel has a solitary assist during the same span.

Team Scope:

Coyotes: In order for Phoenix to secure a third straight playoff berth, the Coyotes are going to have to figure out the month of March because they still have nine games left before the calendar flips again. Following a torrid 11-0-1 run in February that vaulted them to the top of the Pacific Division, the Coyotes dropped to 1-4-2 this month following Monday's 5-4 shootout loss to the visiting Predators. On the plus side, they did secure a valuable point by overcoming a pair of one-goal deficits and rallying from 4-2 down in the third on goals by Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Raffi Torres.

"I give our guys full credit for coming back, digging in and finding a way to get a point," coach Dave Tippett said. "But we have to play tight hockey and not give away chances like we did tonight."

Canucks: With a 14-point lead in the division, there's nothing to worry about there, but Vancouver has watched St. Louis open up a sizable lead of its own in the race for the Presidents' Trophy and No. 1 seed in the West; plus, the Canucks just want to start playing better hockey as the postseason approaches. With two dates remaining on a seven-game homestand, they're just 2-3 and dropped a 4-1 decision Saturday to the last-place team in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens. Kesler opened the scoring midway through the second, but the offense ended there.

"Any time your top players are not your best players, your top performers, obviously there's a level of concern," coach Alain Vigneault said. "I'm not sure if we're tired physically or mentally, but if that's the case what we can do is eliminate that excuse."

Who's Hot: Torres has goals in three straight games for the Coyotes. … Kesler has goals in consecutive games for the Canucks, while Chris Higgins has 1 goal and 3 assists during a three-game points streak.

Stat Pack: Ekman-Larsson's effort Monday included two shots, two hits, two blocked shots and a plus-3 rating in a team-high 26:01 of ice time. … Zack Kassian has 1 goal, 1 assist and 17 penalty minutes in six games since the Canucks acquired him from the Sabres for Cody Hodgson.

Puck Drop: Phoenix defenseman Derek Morris hasn't played since Feb. 11, missing time due to injury and a family illness that kept him away from the team. But he's back skating and looking forward to his return to game action.

"Great with the guys, terrible with the skates," Morris told the Arizona Republic about getting back on the ice for practice. "This is a fun group of guys. The guys we got out there are working, we've got a couple of nice young kids that skate a little quicker than the rest of us, and it's been great to get back out there skating."

I just barely made the playoffs in my fantasy pool and am playing the regular season winner in the quarter finals this week. Thus I need Henrik to come up with a big night for me tonight. I'm thinking three goals (including the game winner), two assists, a shitload of won face-offs and at least five hits!

Per wrote:I just barely made the playoffs in my fantasy pool and am playing the regular season winner in the quarter finals this week. Thus I need Henrik to come up with a big night for me tonight. I'm thinking three goals (including the game winner), two assists, a shitload of won face-offs and at least five hits!

lol/// That is a Fantasy for sure.. is it Swede Weed? or imported BC Bud? Henrick won 2 out of 9 faceoffs last game.. Probably hasn't thrown 5 hits the entire season and looks completely uninterested in playing hockey .

Right now my dream is that AV gives the Sedin line ( twins and MayNotRay ) about 5 min total ice time ..The Kesler line is the #1 line and scores 3 goals. the kesler line is 1st PP unit (add burrows ) Kassian scores 1.. fights 2 and adds 2 more minor penalties to his record as a Nuck..Loungo watches Schneider from the bench.. Canucks win 5 to 1.. ( and yeah my fantasy has as much chance as yours.. SFA..

Per wrote:I just barely made the playoffs in my fantasy pool and am playing the regular season winner in the quarter finals this week. Thus I need Henrik to come up with a big night for me tonight. I'm thinking three goals (including the game winner), two assists, a shitload of won face-offs and at least five hits!

lol/// That is a Fantasy for sure.. is it Swede Weed? or imported BC Bud? Henrick won 2 out of 9 faceoffs last game.. Probably hasn't thrown 5 hits the entire season and looks completely uninterested in playing hockey .

Right now my dream is that AV gives the Sedin line ( twins and MayNotRay ) about 5 min total ice time ..The Kesler line is the #1 line and scores 3 goals. the kesler line is 1st PP unit (add burrows ) Kassian scores 1.. fights 2 and adds 2 more minor penalties to his record as a Nuck..Loungo watches Schneider from the bench.. Canucks win 5 to 1.. ( and yeah my fantasy has as much chance as yours.. SFA..

Henrik was credited with 4 hits just in the last game. A tall feat in Vancouver where a hit is hard to come by from the stats guys. The Sedins did have a horrible game against Montreal, but they have been generating chances the games leading up to Saturday. Against the Jets, Daniel took 7 shots (4 hit the net). In the game before, against the Stars, they had 8 shots between them.

It's only a matter of time until they regress to the mean and put up some points. If you take those 12 shots and apply their usual 17% shooting percentage, that's 2 goals and the mainstream media guys wouldn't be sleeping on rusty springs.

Also, Raymond took Dan's place earlier this year when he was out with back spasms. Raymond had a goal and and assist.

Per wrote:I just barely made the playoffs in my fantasy pool and am playing the regular season winner in the quarter finals this week. Thus I need Henrik to come up with a big night for me tonight. I'm thinking three goals (including the game winner), two assists, a shitload of won face-offs and at least five hits!

Has Henrik ever had a hat trick?

I don't care WHAT St. Louis is doing. Who cares if they win the president's trophy?

Who cares how the Sedins or any players are doing right now? Not me. They are healthy. That's the main thing.

It's all about the playoffs. Sure, get into a groove before then if possible but seriously... who cares? Playing a playoff game is far different than playing a regular season game. So it's somewhat difficult to use one to prepare for the other.

The red head has earned a start on the weekend or at least in the last home game. it aint all about getting luo's confidence back..........Ginger has to stay sharp. He had better be getting 4 -5 of the next 12 games.

What a shitshow. Like a chinese fire drill out there, its time for AV to start sending some messages to some of these guys. I don't hang that on Luongo but man he sure gives up on plays some times. Doan just outmuscled and outwilled three players for that goal.